All About Aluminum

29 Jun All About Aluminum

On hot summer days many of us find ourselves reaching for an ice cold pop or beer, often in an aluminum can.But even though aluminum is one of the most readily recyclable materials, around twenty percent of cans sold in BC are still not returned for refund or recycling.We can do better!

For those of you information junkies out there, here is a brief outline of how aluminum cans are made and recycled.Spread the word and maybe we can inch our way closer to all cans being returned.

The process starts by mining bauxite and extracting the aluminum.The pure aluminum is then melted down and pressed into sheets from which the cans are made.When the cans are returned for recycling they are baled, melted, and returned to the shelf as cans again in as little as six weeks!The recycling process is cost effective and uses 95 percent less energy than making cans from new material.Basically, recycling cans is one big WIN for everybody!

Already it’s pretty obvious that recycling aluminum cans just makes sense.But did you know that aluminum can be recycled an almost infinite number of times?Unlike many other materials, aluminum doesn’t lose any quality in the recycling process.This makes it one of the most environmentally friendly and affordable ways to package drinks.On top of that, aluminum cans cool down faster than plastic and glass, a very important consideration on a scorching summer day.And they won’t break if you drop them, making them a safer alternative for camping or outdoor events.

I think it’s safe to say that we all know that we should recycle cans (and most other materials).So then why don’t we do it every time?We all come up with never ending excuses to answer this question, but the bottom line is that sometimes it comes down to just not having anywhere to do it!To that end, we are happy to say that our new location in South Cowichan is up and running, located at 1350 Fisher Rd. in Cobble Hill.So bring in your easily recyclable aluminum cans, along with any other beverage containers, electronics, small appliances and much more.Please see our website for more details about the new location and what we accept…all for free!